A charge transfer circuit transfers charge indicating as analog quantity from an input charge holding element to an output charge holding element through a charge transfer element. The charge transfer circuit is a kind of charge region signal processing circuit and transfers a charge packet indicating an analog quantity. The charge region signal processing circuit includes a charge coupled device (CCD), a charge transfer circuit of the present application that transfers charge using transistors, and the like, for example.
The charge transfer circuit applies an input voltage to an input charge holding element so that charge is held by the input charge holding element and transfers an input charge holding element from the input charge holding element to an output charge holding element through a charge transfer element. The output voltage of the output charge holding element is a voltage that is a multiplication of an input voltage and a capacitance ratio of the input and output charge holding elements.
The charge region signal processing circuit of the charge transfer circuit and the like is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-539324 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-34890.